We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrea Kentebe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrea below.
Hi Andrea, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I wasn’t always so confident. Growing up I was super skinny, nerdy and awkward. I was made fun of in school for having natural hair and being Nigerian. Kids were really mean to me. High school was especially hard. I came back from Nigeria and started at an all girls Catholic high school as a sophomore. Everyone already had friend groups and had joined sports teams so I felt really lonely. A few older girls took me under their wing and I was able to finally start making some friends. That is when my confidence started growing. Once I went to college though, my confidence went through the roof. I was able to find my own sense of style, explore who I am, and become independent. My first real burst of confidence came when a designer friend of mine, Braisha Owens, asked me to model for her clothing line. Her line, Kissed by BO, gave me my first real modeling opportunity. The very first runway show we did was such a rush! I felt like a celebrity walking out with all eyes on me. After that, you couldn’t stop me from getting on a runway or in front of a camera. Modeling helped me so much. I am forever grateful to Braisha for giving me my start too.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a freelance makeup artist living in Atlanta, Georgia. I have only lived in Atlanta for a few months and so far I love it. The main reason for the move was to give me a chance to build my clientele and make being a makeup artist my full time career. I started Kemi’s Studios because being a makeup artist is my dream. I recently had my work published in the 2023 issue of Exclusive Models Magazine. That was an amazing opportunity. I did makeup for an artist named Naoma for her single release cover. I have also been working on getting certified to be able to work on TV and movie sets. Ideally I’d love to have at least 2o clients a week and get my own studio space. My services can be booked via email, social media, and my website. I also model. I was having such a hard time finding an agency and photographers before I moved. I am so excited being able to get back to modeling. I felt so sad having to stop. I have a few fashion shows in the works coming up this fall. I can’t wait to be able to share all the details.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back I realized I was so scared I wasn’t doing enough. The older I got I began to compare myself to where others were in their lives. Now I realize that my journey is MY journey. All of my experiences have prepared me for where I am now. They have prepared my for what I am going through. Had I moved sooner, I may not have been able to deal with some of the trials I’ve had with the sense and grace that I have. My advice is to be happy with YOUR journey. Work hard and allow yourself to learn from your experiences. Give yourself grace. Don’t be in a hurry to rush your life and take time to enjoy your successes, even if they seem “little” to you. Celebrate yourself and where you are now. Enjoy the whole journey, not just the end.
I think another skill of mine that has helped is my willingness to keep learning. I never assume I know it all. I definitely strive to be great and perfect my craft, but I also know that everyday there are new things I could be learning that would only make me better. Anyone who has made a point to stop learning has also made a point to be mediocre.
The last quality I’ll share with you is I take pride in customer service. Working with people can be quite challenging at times. It is important to learn how to handle issues that arise professionally. Not every guest is going to be 100% satisfied and as long as you did all you could to provide quality service that is ok. Take those instances as learning experiences and never take them personally. You work hard on your craft but it doesn’t define who you are as a person. I have had clients that may not have liked something, but would still rebook me because I did my best to rectify the situation and not take it to heart. My personality has opened up so many doors before my talent was even evaluated. Treat you clients with respect and be a person they want to have around.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I love collaborating! I want to continue working with creatives that challenge me to think outside the box. I love projects that allow me to do something out of the ordinary. I also love working with creatives that are looking to make a difference. I had partnered with Cia Stylez to do makeovers for women of color in Pittsburgh. It was great helping out these women, but even better because I enjoyed it. I am looking for more opportunities in front of the camera too. Now that I am back modeling, I enjoy new projects that tell a story. Being able to convey a story or a message through my work is always so fulfilling. I want to be able to inspire others through my work and hope to work with creatives that feel the same.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kemisstudios.as.me/schedule.php
- Instagram: @kemisstudios
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFvJhTyy91Z-0Vjdo5Flj0g
Image Credits
VS1ATL, Marcel Creatives, DVJVisual, Crispy Photographs
